Don't buy from Sunlight Sheds!

[Joefarmer]

I bought a Mini Cool Cab, plugged everything in and everything worked great...except the light. Go figure. It goes on and off by itself as it pleases. So I call customer service, leave several messages, send several emails and never heard back from anyone. Not one reply! $1800 and I recieved no support whatsoever. So pissed. Almost a month later I'm finding out that its was just a bad MH bulb.(I know...duuuhhh). Horrible service.

The materials are very flimsy too. Pumps, fans, etc. work fine but are bottom of the line. Most of the plugs had to be taped to the strip so they don't fall out. So I'm replacing the light with my own flouro setup, turning the box into a Mother Plant chamber and setting up flowering in another closet. So all in all I made it work, but Sunlight Sheds is a terrible company.

[the image reaper]

thanks for the heads-up :thumbsup: ... good luck

[fluid69]

ouch, that sux! with $1800 you could've designed and built a bad ass grow box. hopefully, some newbs on here will learn from your mistake.

are you sure it was the bulb? it sounds like an electrical short. I'd check the wiring, as well as the fixture too. and if you change over to flouro's, i'd run new wiring. especially if it's made cheap. think you're pissed now, imagine if it burnt down your house?

be careful with this thing, and give it a good inspection. hopefully you're getting your bad luck out of the way now so you'll have a happy healthy grow. best of luck!

[FreeDaHerb]

stick 2 procyon 100's in there dude..for vegging mothers..bright as hell. :jointsmile:

[BossDon85]

damn that blows bruh but props for the warning

[killerweed420]

Bulbs seem to be getting worse lately. No matter what system you have always have a backup bulb. Also if you have a ballast have a backup ignitor and capacitor too. There cheap and easy to replace. Losing light in the middle of flower can be a real pisser.

[JackdaWack]

I got a generic Ballast bulb and reflector of ebay for 130 shipped 400wtt hps, 3 1/2 years 5grows later and its still going strong, i need a new bulb tho. Also, have some one else order it for you :D

[the image reaper]

my 400-watt sodiums were generics from '1000bulbs.com', cost $12 apiece, and have NEVER had a problem, fresh lamp for every crop ... :thumbsup:

[mrmcr2]

Try calling them directly. If you can't get through to Tech. help or Customer Service - select Sales - I find they almost always pick up that line.

Yeah, I agree that the Sunlight Sheds product is far from top quality. I bought a Mini Caddy from them and shortly into the first grow project the lamp housing (with fan ducting) started falling down and out of the fan duct used to keep the lamp cool. (Also it wasn't until I read the doc's that came with it that I found out this is the only box they make which isn't really light tight.)

No or very slow response to emails, but a phone call got me help. They sent me new ducting adaptors and fan/duct and it's now solid as a rock and was able to finish the project. However... started the 2nd project ever, for a client, and 2 weeks in the ballast stopped working.

Again, no response from emails, but a call has them sending me a replacement ballast. (still under warranty) The down side is that they didn't tell me it was out of stock, so my clients grow is dying while I wait for the ballast to show up. I did throw some CFL's in there but the plants are not happy. They did have another ballast they could have sent - but that would have meant I'd either have to take down the lamp to change the wiring on the lamp socket (different plug out then the original) or cut and splice the wires. Probably should have opted to splice the wires and gotten the new ballast earlier, but again - I didn't find out they didn't have the exact replacement in stock until I called back when I hadn't gotten the replacement after a few days. (and no shipping/tracking notice)

Hoping the ballast arrives today - have not gotten any shipping or tracking notice from them, but I'll keep my hopes up. I learned the hard way what one of the above posts suggests... have spares in case of tragedy!

Other components seem to work well - I guess if I was to do it again I'd either build something myself, or purchase from another company - but again - if you CALL THEM - they're usually very helpful, or have been for me.

Good luck - mrmcr2

[JackdaWack]

The lamp socket is very easy to wire, there is a ground wire that's bolted on, and the hot and nuetral are just twisted together with caps, a hella lot easier then slicing soldering shrinkwraping the whole shabang. Plus everything is easily put back together if needed.

[LisaDouglas]

Cool Cab customer review - it didn't up being "turnkey", IMHO. I didn't want to buy this system. The patient was convinced it was the way to go having everything for one price instead of trying to build a system and being "nickeled and dimed" to death. One main reason for buying it - the security factor - being able to lock the cabinet. Well guess what didn't get delivered with the cabinet - yup you guessed it -the key. Off to a great start. NOT. Got the key and a couple other items later, but the darn door has to be held with your foot on the bottom while pushing the handle in and turning to line up the handle just right to close the cabinet. :(

Anyway, subsequent calls to the company have never been returned.

Several adaptations later and climate control is an ongoing issue. I also think the pump in the same reservoir as the plants is making the root environment too warm. But since this is my first ever grow I can't be sure about that.

For future equipment I want to be able to walk into the place where I buy my stuff and see a person face to face. I don't like not having my calls returned. It's completely unprofessional! :mad:

[redtails]

For future equipment I want to be able to walk into the place where I buy my stuff and see a person face to face. I don't like not having my calls returned. It's completely unprofessional! :mad:

I completely agree! There's several hydro stores in my area and the employees are very knowledgeable about everything it takes to set up a successful grow no matter how you plan to do it. Best of all, they don't ask questions like what you're growing, they just "know" lol.

[spacedust33]

I have mixed feelings about Sunlight Sheds. A few years back I purchased some lighting from them,although the lighting was of great quality,each kit was supposed to come with both a metal halide and a high presure sodium bulbs.Shipping was fast but I was also told that the metal halide bulbs were on back order.Here it is like three years later and I am still waiting on all 4 of my metal halide lamps.I guess Home Depot saved the day again.

[budlover13]

Bulbs seem to be getting worse lately. No matter what system you have always have a backup bulb. Also if you have a ballast have a backup ignitor and capacitor too. There cheap and easy to replace. Losing light in the middle of flower can be a real pisser.

EXCELLENT advice. I'm growing cfl right now but getting ready to step up to a 600w HPS and this has GOT to be one of the most solid pieces of advice I've found during my search for info. Kinda common sense but often overlooked. Kind of like carrying a gallon of water, a blanket, and a few granola bars in the car. May NEVER need them, but if you do....

++REP

[spacedust33]

When it comes to an item like a grow cab,your way better off not buying something of that nature unless you can go into the store and actually look it over and see if it is going to suit your needs.Besides,if can avoid the hassle of a grow cab you will find yourself much more productive just dedicating an area for your needs.